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Ford’s ‘Transit Day’ celebrations are taking place at Dunton Technical Centre, home of the Transit. As the countdown begins to the legendary Transit’s 60th birthday, all eyes are on the rebuild of the iconic Supervan during the commemorations.
Standing proud along the popular Supervan 3 and the champion, all-electric Supervan 4.2, this year’s Transit Day is the first time that three generations of Supervan have been present at the same time.
Making its debut in 1971, the original Supervan was brought to life by a V8 from a GT40, and used a mid-engined Cooper Monaco chassis secured to a Transit body. More than fifty years since its first appearance, a brand-new Supervan has been built from the ground up. Made up of original components by ex-Ford engineering apprentice Andy Browne, this exciting rebuild pays homage to the unique history of the Supervan - as well as his friend, Terry Drury.
“Terry was one of the life’s amazing characters”, “he built the original van in three to four months, off the back of an orange Transit built by Ford apprentices, who stuck a seven-litre Ford Galaxy engine in it. Terry was well-known to Ford and, with the help of some space GT40 parts and funding from the Ford Truck sales division, it was the billboard of all billboards.”
At the end of the Supervan campaign, the Terry Drury Racing team completely stripped the vehicle down, the powertrain included. The external body ended up with the remains that passed through numerous owners, before finally getting to Andy - who had the idea to turn it back into the renowned Supervan.
“I bought Supervan in late 1973 for £500”, said Andy. “But there was nothing; all it had was a shell and four wheels. Nothing else. Luckily, I had access to machine shops so I could produce parts, and bought a transaxle off Terry for another £500. Back then, I was a Ford apprentice and on five pounds a week!”
Registering, taxing and insuring the Supervan proved challenging for the young Andy. Convincing insurance companies to cover a V8-powered transit, driven by a teenager, was no easy feat. Life’s demands eventually forced Andy to part ways with the Supervan. By the time Ford unveiled Supervan 2, the original had vanished. Yet, rumours persisted, and Andy became a go-to expert for Supervan enthusiasts. His detailed memory of modifications helped him identify potential originals. With an empty nest, he decided to reignite his passion for Supervan, honouring the friends who shared his journey.
“Originally, I wanted to build a replica. Then one day I got a call and somebody said to me they thought they knew where the remains of Supervan were. I’ve lost count, but this must have been at least the twentieth time, easily. I went to see these remains, ran my hand under the sills and knew that it was the van that I’d owned. It wasn’t even a van at all – just a floor pan and a bit of bulkhead, and some parts of a chassis that had been cut.”
However, this plan instantly changed. Andy bought the remains and began a whole rebuild using original parts and components, as opposed to creating a replica Supervan.
Now, in 2024, Andy has nearly completed his tribute to Terry and has ignited the worldwide appreciation for the venerated Supervan, a name which has once again been highlighted following Supervan 4.2’s win in Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in November 2023, as well as taking the top spot in the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed Timed Shootout in July.
The Ford Transit turns 60 on August 9, 2025 – the exact anniversary of the first model rolling off the production line. To kick off the year-long celebration, Transit Day showcased six decades of the iconic van. What’s even more impressive this year is that the Transit is set to extend its reign as the UK’s best-selling commercial vehicle for the 58th year in a row.
Get your hands on your very own Transit
